Insecticides Linked to Developmental Delays

Insecticides are linked to developmental delays in toddlers. Oh, and Parkinson’s disease and lowered fertility for both sexes. So why do farmers use them on the food we eat? That’s a really good question that the current administration just answered. When in doubt, side with big ag. [New York Times]

Your Five-A-Day

👀 1,500 chickens from one Texas farm died before reaching the slaughterhouse. That’s one of many concerns voiced by the Animal Welfare Institute and Farm Sanctuary in the lawsuit they just filed against the USDA for failing to respond to a FOIA request about the treatment of animals in U.S. slaughterhouses. [Animal Welfare Institute]

🌱 More people are talking about plant-based foods—a lot more. Conversations on social media platforms increased by almost 80% this past year. [Foodable]

🐡 Nearly half of all fish farmed in Southeast Asia die from parasites. Researchers discovered that shrimp actually clean parasites off of fish. Plus, they’re a much more sustainable solution than dumping a bunch of chemicals in the water. [Marine Biology]

🐺 Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja was 6 years old when he first encountered wolves. Twelve years later, still adrift in the forests of Spain, he ran into the police, not knowing what to say after living with animals all that time. [Guardian]

🔬 Scientists just discovered an organic, 100% natural food preservative. It’s called a flavonoid, and it’s found in pretty much every fruit and vegetable. [Food Chemistry]